SHC seeks PMC’s comments on medical exam policy

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) to file comments on whether medical colleges and universities give more chances to medical students from Batch 2014 and onward who have not cleared their exams despite repeated attempts.

The direction came during Saturday’s hearing of petitions of medical students, who moved the court against the medical colleges and universities’ policy for dropping out students who did not succeed in their examinations in a limited number of attempts.

The court observed that the PMC counsel had earlier given a statement before the court that under the new regime of law, it was prerogative of the medical colleges and universities to frame their own policies for providing a number of chances to their students to attempt the examinations.

It said that since a representative of the Jinnah Sindh Medical University had submitted a list of dropout students, the PMC counsel filed comments on the premise that if universities and colleges allowed the students from Batch 2014 and onwards to have more chances to attempt exams, and on whether their registration would be restored on the basis of medical colleges/ universities’ policies. The court directed the PMC to file the comments by February 24 and continued the interim stay order on petitions of the medical students.

Copyright board

The Sindh High Court has directed the federal law officer to file comments with regard to the approval of a copyright board by the federal government.

Hearing petitions against the non-constitution of a copy right board, a division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar inquired the law officer about the progress with regard to constitution of a copyright board.

The assistant attorney general submitted that he had discussed the matter with the ministry of commerce in compliance with the court order and he had been informed that earlier a summary for the constitution of a copyright board was moved for the approval of the prime minister; however, it was rejected with certain observations and the ministry of commerce had been directed to nominate a fresh panel for consideration.

He submitted that the ministry of commerce would again submit a summary for the consideration of the PM and sought some time to inform the court about any further progress.

The court, granting time, directed the federal law officer to file a progress report on March 10.